The Many Lives of Annabeth
by ChildOfApolloHunterOfArtemis
Summary: "She had the spirit of a true huntress""You sure you're not a Roman, Annabeth? Or an Amazon?""You,my dear, have the makings of a sorceress""She had a vision" Before she was Annabeth, she was Nina who was killed to prevent the great prophecy and is trying not to end up in Asphodel. But in order to do that, she has to see moments from her own life again and all 20 that came before.
1. Chapter 1

Nina wasn't scared as she rode Charon's boat. There was actually a sense of comfort, of completeness, when she handed over her coin. All her brothers, sisters, and friends had already gone down in the last few days, but that was fine with her. After all, she needed time.

She knew she was dead, and remembered thoroughly how she had departed the mortal world. She drank the cup filled with poison at dinner, because she was a child of the big three, a daughter of Zeus.

It was crazy for her to try and understand why this was better than letting the great prophecy come to pass. Why kill your own children to save your legacy if it means destroying it too? You can't prevent or change a prophecy once it's given, so they're only making it worse. Victor, her older brother, became terribly bitter about it and quite angry with the gods in his final hours. Joyce, the oldest daughter of Poseidon, wanted to play capture the flag with all the gods who voted to off us. Grace, head counselor of Athena, found it unjust. Even Anita, the leader of the losing side and daughter of Hades, wept for her fate, for their fate.

Nina didn't cry for herself or for the others. She cried in Charon's lobby for all the half bloods who took their lives to be in Elysium with their loves and best friends. That's why Nina didn't get on the first day, she felt like the stragglers deserved the chance to catch up.

She sighed when the boat reached the underworld, the three paths and the three headed dog in front of her. She smiled and waved at the poor creature, if she had a ball or something she'd play with him but she didn't.

The express way to boredom, wondering the fields with no memory, was right in front of her. Nina didn't want that, and the Fields of Asphodel were the reason she waited coming down for so long.

She wasn't like Victor, Joyce, Grace, or Anita. Hades, she wasn't even like her best friend Peter, his father is Hades and he saw combat for a few years. Nina had never left Camp Half Blood since she was left there as an infant, the place was her whole world. Nina had helped with the war effort as best as she could with in the borders of camp, but she never was deployed for two reasons.

The first was that WWII ended. Therefore, no war means no battles which means no need for soldiers. The second is that the camp had an age restriction. No camper could go into battle, no matter how many years they've been there, until they were sixteen. Nina was nine the day she died, her tenth birthday a month away.

She knew she didn't have a chance at Elysium, but she had to try. So Nina didn't go in the Asphodel, she went off to be judged. There was a small line of people who clearly weren't demigods and maybe a clear sighted mortal because the man was freaking out.

After what felt like forever, it was Nina's turn to be judged. When she entered, she saw three golden masked men. This is it, the last step. Then the man to the right spoke.

"Well, she has a good heart. Treated others with respect and helped out as best she could."

The man on the left scoffed.

"She also went against rules like seeking in and out of the ant hill alone, being in the attic, going against Chiron's wishes, do I need to go on?"

"She's nine and being in the attic isn't the same as trespassing."

"For her it is, due to her age and what she's done in her life time."

The mask in the middle finally speaks. "Don't you mean this life time."

She looks up him with a look of confusion. "You mean this isn't my first life?"

The man on the right smiles. "After a few thousand years you think new souls are common? No Nina, most have lived at least twice."

The man on the left looks at her like he's realizing something for the first time. "Well, that's not the case with you." Nina raises an eyebrow. "You're soul is ancient, dating back to right after Zeus declared humans to be split, probably attached to your soul mate in the underworld."

Nina tries not to let this effect, but she blushes brightly. "So soul mates are real? Did I ever find mine again?"

The man on the right sighs. "Nina, that can be discussed another time. What matters is getting you into the afterlife you earned."

The man on the left glares at him. "This is her 21st life and there's no way she'd be able to handle the others-"

"I'll do it."

The man in the middle smirks at my out burst. "You realize you have to live through or watch 3 defining memories from all those lives, death, and this one included for this to work. If you had earned Elysium or the Fields of Punishment we could just look through them, but that's not your case."

Nina gulps, she can do this. "My answer stays the same."

The man in the middle looks at his comrades. "I'll take her to my palace so this won't back everything up. Maybe get Peter or my wife prepare a space for her to sleep."

The man comes down, takes her hand, and then she's standing in a throne room. Nina quickly bows her head. "Lord Hades."

Hades waves me off. "Don't start half blood. Now I need you to drink this." He held out something that looked like oil and Nina gagged. "I assure you it's not poison, but it will make you sleep."

She nodded and took the oil drink and downed the whole glass. Nina started to feel dizzy and sleep come over her. She dropped the glass and tumbled to the floor with wolf howls and the wind carrying her off to her first life.


	2. Life 1: Cora

**Cora-Maiden in Greek**

Cora loved running through the forest. Now, she wasn't running away from anyone, she was running to someone. Her long blond curls got tangled in a tree branch and she's reminded again of her Lady's wishes.

"If you kept back your hair Cora, it wouldn't be filled with twigs and leaves."

True, but she's only a demigod, who has never been claimed or seen the camp. Her Lady says there are men at the camp, so the two of them don't go there. It's been the cause of several tears falling from her grey eyes, but she sucks it up. If her Lady doesn't wish to go, why pester and make her feel guilty for something she still won't do.

After all, her Lady had done so much for her. Cora loved hearing her tell the story of where she found her.

"You were but a babe in a basket floating down a raging river. You kept your mouth closed so water would get into your system. I got you out of there and took you in after that. There was a brief message carved in wood stating "cursed daughter of cora" but I took that as an unmarried maiden, or should have been maiden. You proved me wrong with your talent for knives and the bow at three. I knew you had to be a half blood Cora."

"So why name me Cora?"

"Because you only responded to Cora."

She stops in the clearing where her Lady stands tall with a silver bow at her side and long auburn hair braided down her back. Cora smiles and then hugs the goddess in front of her.

"Where did you go this time my Lady? What monsters did you kill? What other immortals did you meet?"

The goddess chuckles. "Ah Cora, with each passing hunt you grow more curious of the world."

Cora pouts. "You only let me hunt with you in this forest my Lady, but I wish I could partake in more."

"More?"

"I know you get lonely when you're brother cannot hunt by your side and you always seem joyful during our hunts. I just thought, now that I'm twelve and with my bow and knife fighting that I could come with you."

There's a silence and then her Lady smiles. "Yes Cora, you can come with me. Although we might need some more companions."

"Can it be just the two of us first?"

"Yes, just you and me."

* * *

Four years, that's how long it takes for her Lady to get approval and settle on the final details of the new additions to their hunting party. She tells her the rules: must be a maiden and forsake the company of men by taking an oath. By taking the oath, you are immortal unless killed in battle and your natural abilities are heightened to match.

Dozens upon dozens come to join, but Cora gets the honor of being the first "Hunter of Artemis" and her second in command.

"Why me? No offense my Lady, but power and leading aren't in my skill set."

"It's symbolic in a way, you were my first female hunting companion so you are my first hunter."

Cora didn't argue after that. Instead the next day, she became the first to say the oath.

"I pledge myself to the Goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt."

Cheers went up and her Lady presented her first silver circlet, given to her by Leto, to Cora. She gladly put it on her head and once everyone else had taken their oaths, Cora led the hunt after a group of hydras.

* * *

Many years later, while the rest of the hunt was sleeping and her Lady on Olympus, she heard a noise in the forest. Cora grabbed her bow and loaded it, then silently crept off towards.

Cora thought she would find a monster or some god trying to mess with her. Instead, she found a dark haired girl in a tattered white dress. Cora thought the girl was around fifteen and clearly skilled with a bow, since it was the only weapon she carried.

"Are you okay?"

The girl looks up at her with black eyes that have seen everything yet nothing. "No, I'm not. I'm alone because my family disowned me and this one hero I helped refused help me out in return. I never should have trusted him."

Cora offered her a hand. "Have you ever heard of the Hunters of Artemis?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to join?"

Her black eyes were filled with new energy and she takes Cora's hand. "Yes, I would like that."

Cora pulls her up and starts leading her to camp. "By the way, I'm Cora."

The girl looks up ahead. "I'm Zoe, Zoe Nightshade."

It was the first girl Cora had ever personally recruited, and the second was a girl named Phoebe. The thing is, those two became her favorite little sisters.

* * *

There comes a time when death comes to take you to the underworld. Cora knew her time had come, with a poisoned arrowhead sticking out of her stomach. Who knew Orion would be bitter enough to go after her Lady? Cora didn't regret taking the arrow though.

Cora's sight was getting hazy, she could tell Zoe and Phoebe were desperately trying to save her. Her lady standing over was saying something.

"I think ... know... coming."

Cora coughs up strangely colored blood. "I cannot hear you my Lady, but I know. I died defending you, the greatest mother a half blood girl could have." The coughing continued and hears what might be thunder in the distance.

Zoe took her hand. "I wish... see... again."

Phoebe nods. " I know...never...hunter like...again."

Cora felt like her whole body might com-bust at any moment and she grips her hunting knife. What kind of poison is this?

Artemis shed a tear. "Cora, I...place...night sky?"

"What about Elysium my Lady?" Cora could feel herself floating out of her body.

"You...go... anytime."

The last thing Cora does is nod before everything stops. She closes her eyes and feels nothing but weightlessness. She opens them to be greeted my the stars in the sky, not the dead. In a body of light, rather than that of a ghost.

She can hear clearly when her Lady addresses the others. "From now on, Cora is in the stars as a virgin, the virgin, and a self-sufficient girl. Where she will witness us hunt every night."

* * *

Nina's eyes opened and she sat up. She felt a harsh pain in her stomach, but she ignored that. She was a hunter, the lieutenant, and a constellation all in one life time. That's one life closer to getting out of Asphodel.

Yet, it was hard to live through her first life's, Cora's, memories without being affected. She had never been claimed or met any of her half siblings. She never found her, their, soul mate because she joined the hunt. But, Cora didn't know what she was sacrificing when she joined, so she never really turned her back on men.

Still, Cora had been brave, kind, determined, and just an over all heroine. It's a shame no one gets to here the tale of her except maybe the hunters.

The pain in her stomach disappeared and Nina felt overwhelmingly dizzy. Her eyes closed and she sat back down to the soft, bed like ground, with the sound of reed pipes as her lullaby.

 **Hello fanfiction! Before anyone gets on me for this not being the actual story of the Virgo (virgin) constellation, may I remind everyone here this is fanfiction so anything goes.**

 **Second, I looked this up and found several different myths (someone hanging themselves, being hope, Persephone and Demeter, and more from other cultures), so this is what I came up with.**

 **Lastly, does anyone half some ideas for Annabeth's lives? I have like ten, and I need eleven more.**


	3. Life 2: Kloe

**Kloe- Blooming/Verdant**

Kloe held her mother's hand and skipped as they walked. Her mother said they were going somewhere special, so of course Kloe, the five year old she is, would get all hyper. She got so eager she pulled her light brown hair up so she could see out of her hazel eyes better.

"Behave Kloe, there are special people who live there and I refuse to have you jumping around like a frog."

Kloe calmed down to a simple walk and looked up at her mother. "What kind of people?"

Her mother sighs, clearly frustrated with her but Kloe pays no attention to that. Her mother is always frustrated by her. "You'll see." Her mother then turns onto the path leading into the woods. This is a little strange because mother loathes the woods. After walking a great deal, the two come across a peaceful stream.

"Syrinx, daughter of Landon, I come to you bearing a gift and a warning!"

Suddenly a young woman appears from the water with tan skin, dark hair, and blue as the stream eyes. She's clearly a water nymph, meaning she has powers and could drown us if she wanted to. Kloe hides behind her mother.

"What, mortal, could you have that I do not have the ability to get myself? And a warning, I have the power to ask around about your warning and my friends will tell me of it."

"It's from the Oracle of Delphi." Kloe remembers the other trip before this one that took them seasons upon seasons of travel. At times, it felt that all they ever did was travel from place to place. Kloe didn't complain though because she saw exotic and different plants.

The nymph was stunned and lost her arrogance. "I beg your pardon?"

Kloe didn't have to be next to her mother to know she was smirking. "You heard me Syrinx."

The nymph stood up straighter. "Then tell me your warning mortal, so I know what's ahead of me."

"If you swear on Styx to accept my gift, then I shall tell you." Syrinx mutters something. Kloe hears thunder, so the oath is accepted.

Mother speaks to the nymph in a calm voice. "About six years ago, I was raped in a glade in a forest while I slept." The nymph's expression softens a bit. "I do not seek your pity Syrinx. All I know about the culprit is that he's a satyr and said satyr will come to your stream in the near distant future for your company."

Syrinx is quiet for a moment. "The oracle spoke something else, did she not? This satyr does not only want a night with me does he?"

Mother sighs. "No, he wants, no needs, a child and it has to be his. This is where my gift comes in Syrinx." Kloe feels a like she's going to throw up. Her mother wouldn't do something like this, would she? "I need to go back to my city state and marry my cousin in the coming year to keep my family on the throne. The problem is I can't take Kloe back with me, or the arrangement won't work..."

Kloe tugs on her mother's chiton and moves out from behind her back. "You're leaving me here mother!" She couldn't keep the panic inside and burst into tears, clinging to her mother.

Syrinx crossed her arms. "Do I look like a nurse maid to you? I don't even know how to take care of a child."

Mother picks her up and holds her in an offering gesture to Syrinx, but Kloe's face is towards her mother. "Kloe, I love you more than anything but if I take you back with me, you'll be killed. If you stay here with Syrinx, you'll be safe and meet your father." Kloe sniffles, but nods in understanding.

Syrinx sighs. "I'll take the girl, but that doesn't mean I'll be happy about it."

Syrinx then holds Kloe as she struggles to break free of her and follow mother. Once she was out of sight, the nymph put Kloe in her stream, lifted her chin up, and made Kloe face her.

"Look kid-"

"Kloe, my name is Kloe not kid."

"Fine Kloe, I don't want you here anymore than you want to be, but you're my responsibility now."

"Because you swore on Styx?"

"That and I'd be plain cruel to let you look after yourself. Anyway, I need you to follow me to your new room."

Kloe followed, humming a lullaby her mother would never again sing, and the plants started to wilt. They didn't die, because plants could never die because of her. Syrinx stops and Kloe runs into her. The nymph turns back to look at her but notices the flora and frowns.

"What happened to my flowers?"

Kloe shrugs. "Whenever I hum or sing, my mood effects them. I'm sad, so they wilted."

Syrinx scowls. "Great, I have to teach you how to control your nature magic as well."

Kloe's face brightens. "You will!"

The nymph waves her off. "Not now, it's late and you need to rest."

Syrinx gestures to go in the cave, so Kloe does. There's a small waterfall inside, rocks, and mud. Kloe chooses the mud. Syrinx looks on in mild disgust and sighs yet again.

"We'll work on a bed tomorrow, just don't die until then."

Just as she's walking out, Kloe asks a question. "Can you sing me to sleep? Mother always did."

Syrinx grudgingly nods. "I'll sing what my mother sang, okay?"

Kloe nods and when she open _s_ her mouth, she hears a voice that could rival Apollo.

 _"Sleep my little treasure_

 _close your eyes._

 _Don't you dare open them_

 _until the sunrise._

 _Sleep my little treasure_

 _you've earned your rest._

 _Don't let anyone tell you_

 _didn't do your best._

 _Sleep my little treausure_

 _for you're not that old._

 _You can't see the gods_

 _go to silver from gold._

 _Sleep my little treasure_

 _dream sweet dreams._

 _But if you have a nightmare_

 _it's not what it seems._

 _Sleep my little treasure..."_

Kloe didn't catch the rest of it because she was already fast asleep.

* * *

Kloe enjoyed practicing her magic with Syrinx. She'd been living with the nymph for five years, and even if she was a pro she could always get better. Kloe muttered a song and the strawberries matured, not a new or hard trick but it needed concentration.

"Kloe, come over here and clean yourself up!"

Kloe picked some berries, from this bush and others, and put them in her woven grass basket. Kloe hummed and the flowers bloomed bigger and brighter in color. It didn't take long to reach the stream where Syrinx tapped her foot impatiently.

Syrinx would never admit it in public, but she loved Kloe like she was her own. All the nymphs in the area knew this due to the fact Kloe's dresses are made of plants and her hair is woven with sticks, which Kloe can't do on her own, that flower when she hums. Her cave is fully furnished and has treasures passing men give to Syrinx and the nymph will even sleep there at times.

Kloe comes to a stop in front of her guardian and holds out her basket of berries. Another perk of her living in the forest, all she had to do was hum or sing and she got more than enough food.

Syrinx looks at Kloe's bare feet. She scowls at Kloe's mud brown feet and her eyes show worry when she looks at Kloe. "I need you to go back to your cave and wash up, lunch is almost upon us."

Kloe nods carefully. "Is something wrong Syrinx?"

"Just go, I'll meet you soon enough."

Kloe sighs, but hears nervous whispers from the dryads.

"Someone's coming!"

"Go hide in your tree!"

"Satyr alert!"

Kloe stopped walking to the cave, today is the day. Kloe silently backtracks to where people come to speak with Syrinx, but said nymph runs past her hiding place. Behind her, a mature looking satyr, eyes full of lust and love, runs after her. Kloe goes into the forest a little before following both of them. Eventually, she's at the same pace as the satyr. Kloe doesn't stop running until Syrinx is in sight. She's scared, so very terrified of what will happen to her guardian.

The satyr is about to close in when Syrinx hums and turns herself into a plant. No. Kloe runs out of her hiding spot and past the dazed satyr to kneel next to this new plant that's now Syrinx. She hums a grow song and the plant gives her a name as it does such.

"Reed, that's a good name."

Kloe jumps and turns to see the satyr looking sad and defeated. Kloe felt anger rise with in her. "What were you thinking!"

The satyr sighs in defeat and kneels next to me. "I wasn't thinking. What usually causes these tragedies is me pissing off Aphrodite, so she sends me all over Greece in search of a certain nymph. I don't know what I'm doing until after the damage is done. For this, I am truly sorry young one, but she will never be forgotten."

The satyr starts cutting reeds in various sizes and ties them together with a vine. Kloe could admit, it looked like a good tribute and she in turn made her own.

"Do you have no companions to stop you."

The satyr blows into the reeds and a beautiful sound comes out. "I have none."

Kloe blows a grow tune into the reeds, and it somehow works better than humming. The satyr smiles and proceeds to do the same. After a while of playing Syrinx's lullaby, the satyr starts to get up.

"Where are you going?"

He looks down at her. "I must continue my duties in keeping the wild safe, the humans want to build more cities."

Kloe gets up on her own. "Let me go with you."

The satyr looked confused. "Aren't you-"

"I'm not any nymph or dryad. My mother left me in the care of Syrinx years ago and Syrinx was trying to keep me safe from you."

The satyr raised an eyebrow. "Why would a mother abandon their child?"

Kloe looks at the water flowing the way she came from. "My mother said my father would try to do he did to her on Syrinx, according to the oracle. That's the only reason I can remember though."

He puts a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry we met like this."

Kloe smirks. "Well, you still have time to get to know me, if I can come with?"

He smiles. "Since you have nowhere to go, why not? What's your name?"

"Kloe."

"That's a beautiful name Kloe, my name's Pan."

* * *

Most fifteen year old girls are married and popping out babies. Kloe is a rep. for nymphs on the Council of Cloven Elders, protecting the wild, teaching nature magic to young satyrs and nymphs, and the person responsible for keeping her father in check. Kloe pities the brides and new mothers that have to obey their husbands and don't get the chance to travel like her.

Her two current siblings, she means students, are Juniper, a sweet dryad, and Alex, who has this strange violent trait she adores.

"Your tree is looking well Juni."

"Thanks Kloe, I'm thinking of planting some medical plants around the trunk."

Kloe smiles. "Not a bad idea." She turns her head to look at Alex beating the ground with a stick. "Alex, what the Hades are you doing?"

Instead of answering her, he starts hitting a rock. "Die rock, die!"

Juniper scowls. "Rocks can't die Alex, they're not even alive."

Alex looks at her with an intense glare. "Don't be a pita chip, rocks are evil, like spotted dogs."

Juni face palms. "How am I related to a satyr like you again."

Kloe smiles at her. "Through your parents of course. Alex, if you're going to hit something put your back and hips into it."

He smiles up at me. "Thanks Kloe," he hits the rock again,"like that?"

"Exactly so."

"Kloe!"

Kloe turns to see a former student and a good friend, Gale. She crosses her arms and smiles at him, he bleeps nervously. "What is it Gale? I thought you were protecting some half blood from Crete."

He rolls his eyes and plays with string of his reed pipes, which sound ear bleeding bad. "Finished that job, the kid got there safe. And why do you keep denying that your a half blood."

Kloe smirks. "I am, but I'm special."

"Fine, I came here for help on the trail song."

"You need it."

"That's why I'm here."

"Die sister, die!"

"Stop hitting me with your stupid stick!"

She smiles. Kloe wouldn't want her life any other way.

* * *

Demeter is being a bully. How dare she starve the world for months because her daughter is missing. Kloe shakes off that thought, someone who can remind minds is never far away when it comes to insults.

Kloe sighs and gets back to organizing the human relief effort for the week. They had a lot of baskets already filled with fruits and vegetables, but now deliveries had to be made.

Kloe wanted to bring in more help to grow food, but Pan said they still had to keep the forests and wild save from Demeter's wrath. That and Pan has confidence in his eighteen year old daughter to make the most of what she has. It's flattering, but not all that helpful.

Kloe puts the list in the hands of a dryad and ends out with two baskets. Satyrs and nymphs wave as Kloe passes, but she can only smile since her hands can't move. Soon, Kloe is on a main road heading into a village.

"Where are you going young one?" Kloe turned to see a middle aged woman in a brown dress that matched her hair and eyes field green.

"Just to the village, to delivery some food."

The woman walks closer. "Isn't the famine caused by a goddess? Is it wise to go against her?"

Kloe glares at her. "Is it wise to kill off man kind because her daughter ran?"

"You dare challenge a goddess?"

"I do the just thing, but if she wants to kill me for it then that's her problem."

"It's nice to know how you feel about me, daughter of Pan."

Before Kloe could blink, a light blinded her and she slipped out of her mortal body.

* * *

Nina couldn't open her eyes and felt like she had a way too high fever. She took deep breaths to make sure she was still alive or dead or here at the moment.

Kloe's life differed greatly from Cora's because she had male contact. The girl devoted a large portion of her life to helping others and the well being of the wild. Yet, she didn't see herself as a mortal, but as a nymph. Not to mention the all too sudden death.

The two were similar in some ways though because they both had a cause and a passion for what they did. Would Nina have found something to be passionate about besides camp?

Nina fell back onto the bed and was taken to her next life that contained the clashing of metal.

 **AN. Sorry about not updating and with school for me starting tomorrow, it might be awhile.  
**

 **Anyway, for those you couldn't tell:**

 **Gale-Grover**

 **Juni-Juniper**

 **Alex-Gleeson Hedge**

 **Syrinx- actually from Greek mythology**

 **From now, if there are past lives of characters in the story, their names will be at the bottom, along with real ones.**


	4. Life 3: Day

**Dayanara- stirs up passion**

Dayanara, or Day as she liked to be called, was very excited about today. Because on this very afternoon, the eight year old would be getting her weapon. No longer would she be using a sling shot or a club, but a real deadly weapon. She had dreamed of this day for months, like the rest of her sisters in arms.

For in her culture, the Amazons took in all young girls and women from the cities, towns, and villages they raided to increase their numbers. If those taken did not want to join the Amazon ranks, they were left in their destroyed homes free of males who had try to stop the Amazons, but few are that stupid. Day's story is much the same, being taken as a babe and raised by her mentor, who stuck her in an area with a much of girls her age like most mentors and rarely stops by. The reason the mentors visit at all is to tell the girls that their people are moving to another one of their many bases and secret cities.

Still, Day enjoys prepping for the raids, cleaning weapons, the constant travel, and so forth, because she knows that she'll be going on the raids and using the weapons in the coming years. Day looks at her sisters around her, who look just as excited as she. Mali, her mat mate, taps her shoulder. Day scoffs at her friend.

"Why in the name of the gods do you look clean?" Because, Mali did look cleaner than all of them to the point that her blond hair glowed and her blue eyes sparkled. Day, on the other hand, looked like shit, with dirt covering her black hair to the point it looked brown and probably bringing out her black eyes. "Seriously, we don't get bath time until next week."

Mali laughed. "There's a perfectly clean source of water next to our area, use it."

Day flips her hair. "I prefer the natural look of a sweaty warrior, makes me look older."

Mali rolls her eyes. "Without a weapon the oldest you look is eight, with one maybe ten, but you don't have one yet."

"Yet, Mali, changes to have today."

"Well then Day, let's go meet our new best friends."

They link arms and dash over to the front of the crowd. Queen Walentyna is there with the golden girdle and dark braided hair, a cart bursting with weapons behind her, eating lamb leg. Mali gags at the sight. I smirk.

"Tomorrow I'm eating meat for breakfast."

"Then how am I going to eat it?"

"You won't Mali, I'll eat yours."

Mali huffs, but doesn't get the chance to respond because the Queen starts call us up at random. Even though this is an important occasion, Amazons refuse to make a show of it. After all, everyone here had to pass hand to hand, club, survival, stealth, strength training, and aim to get to this point. That was when Day celebrated along with the rest. This is when she becomes an Amazon, and Amazons don't squeal or shriek like daughters of Aphrodite, unless they are.

"Dayanara, come forward."

Day stands up straight and marches over to Queen Walentyna. From a distance, she looks like a regal warrior. Up close and personal, the woman has the eyes of a fury, but in the shade of amber. Still, Day stands and salutes her Queen, because no matter what she thought of this woman, and Day is an excellent judge of character, she is her Queen.

She looks Day over, then pulls a spear out from behind the cart. "Dayanara, I present you with this spear. May you fight bravely in the name of your people." Day then got a spear in her hands and walked over to wait for Mali. All the while wishing she had got a sword, the queen's weapon, and thinks that it's strange that people who would excel with swords are getting spears, axes, and daggers.

When Mali comes over, she holds a sword. Day feels a bit envious of her friend, but gets an idea.

Day whispers in Mali's ear. "Teach me sword if I teach you spear?"

Mali whispers back. "I'll thrown in emotional management if you get me something from your first raid."

"Deal."

Day and Mali spent the next few months being teachers and students in secret. Because learning a weapon that isn't yours is punishable by the cutting off a breast and becoming an archer. The Amazons were never short of archers.

* * *

Day had a good feeling when she woke up, and it did not disappoint. She was transporting new weapons to the armory with a spear slung over her back. She did this, along with purposely look dirty, in hopes of going on a raid.

Day heard foot falls behind her and turned to see older Amazons, about twenty years old, run over to her and start taking weapons from her cart. "Excuse me, I'm trying to take these to the armory, not give them away!"

One of them put her hand on my shoulder. "Forget the armory, the weapons will be returned after the raid. Now come, we do not want to miss out on the good horses."

The older Amazon then let go of her and ran after her comrades. Day stood there for a moment and looked to the empty cart then back to the direction of the raid party. Day smiles and whispers to herself. "I'm going, I'm actually going." The twelve year old then hurries to the stables.

It's a quick run and she quickly finds the horse she's taken care of for years, Virgo, and jumps on her. The horse nickers as if annoyed, but feels the excitement in the air like her. Day leads Virgo over to where everyone is lining up.

The Queen, who's vain and egotistical ways have only gotten to Day more, is in full golden armor at the front. If Day didn't know any better, she might assume the woman is trying to out shine Apollo or get him into her chambers.

"Amazons, it's time to increase our numbers and supplies! There's not one among you new to this,"Day holds in a smirk,"so you know what to do. Now, to Dodona!" The Queen's horse started to run and the others quickly followed.

Day felt energy course through her as she traveled the green hills, past rushing streams, and along enchanted forests. It didn't feel like long,though it probably was, before she saw a road leading down a hill and heard her sisters let out battle cries. Day released her own and got her spear off her back and into her right hand. She had a smile on her face, even if she was at the very back because this was her moment to bring honor to her people and repay Mali for her lessons.

When Day reached the top of the hill and saw the city below her, the smile vanished. Houses made of stones and mud were smoking as the gardens near were lit aflame. She saw men holding weapons being trampled by Amazon horses. She saw children screaming inside their homes and gardens, unable to escape the smoke. She saw babies being pluck from the arms of their mothers and said mothers being stabbed through the chest. She young boys being beaten to death at the bare hands of her sisters. She saw gold and food being taken along with tainted weapons. She saw blood turn into dark mud and men's faces being forced into it before her sisters detached their heads.

Day was no stranger to violence, she lived her whole live with these women, but she'd always been told it should have a reason and a purpose. She knew they had come for supplies and numbers, that was a purpose. But what was the point of murdering mothers? What's the meaning of torturing the lungs of children until the smoke wins? Why spill the blood of their fellow gender for her offspring? Why butcher the men like sheep? Why leave people scarred and alone after this? Day wonders if there will be any survivors that don't end up in the ranks. Is everything she's ever been told about what her people do a lie?

Day notices that Virgo has slowly made her way down the hill and the stench of blood hits her hard. Day clenches her spear and jumps off Virgo. The horse then makes her way to the top of the hill, waiting for Day to call her back.

"Help!"

She turns around to see a man holding a babe be trampled by a horse, then beheaded. The Amazon must not have seen the child, with big brown eyes and black tufts, as it lay there with its little face in blood and mud. Day walks over and scoops it up as if the living being was a spoil of war. Was she a spoil of war too? Was Mali? Were all the other girls? Yes, all of us are. Day wipes it's face clean with her hand and the babe cries. Day rocks it in her arms ever so slowly and begins to walk through the battle field.

"It's okay to cry." Day's voice cracks as the child cries louder. Day rocks it until the cries get softer and she checks the baby. Luckily it's a girl and Day sighs in relief. "I know I'm not much, but I'll be your mentor and won't leave you alone like most do."

She walks to a mud house with a wooden roof, where she can still hear cries for help. Day uses a babe holding sling, from a dead mother, to keep the child safe and quickly clears the window. She can make out a figure about her size calling for help, trying to move another figure out from under a beam of ablaze wood. Day swiftly goes over to the person and helps push off the beam, thanks to all her training. The figure, a dark hair blued boy, looks at her in shock.

"How-why-what!"

Day bends down, careful to keep the babe secure, and picks up a boy with matching hair and a freckled pair of cheeks. She looks at the boy who has gotten out of his shock and takes the opposite side and the two hastily get him out through the window. Then they proceed to jump out and the boy starts coughing.

Blue eyes gives her a once over. "Why did you save me and my brother? And why are you holding Jacey, the niece of Vadim?"

Day holds the babe, no Jacey, closer. "She was lying in the mud, she'll need a bath."

The crosses his arms. "You still haven't answered my first question."

Day's eyes widen. "Duck!" The boy does as told and a spear lands between them. One of her sisters looks at her strangely from her horse as it trots over to them. Day grabs it, so now she wields a spear in both hands. Blue eyes pulls his brother behind her, who is still coughing. By gods, they must have been a weird sight.

The Amazon stops in front of Day and all that can be seen of her are light cold green eyes and dirty blond hair tangled at her shoulders. She takes her helmet off and Day swears that she should know this Amazon, but it couldn't be...

She speaks in a worried tone. "Dayanara, what are you doing here?"

Day tilts her head, knowing her hunch was right and this woman is her absent mentor. "Nabila."

Nabila jumps from her horse and rushes over to give Day a hug. Day doesn't join in embracing because she's holding spears and trying to protect Jacey from being crushed by said hug. It also felt strange, since she hasn't been hugged in so many summers, and Day desperately wants to voice her confusion but can't find the words. Thankfully, Jacey starts to cry and Nabila pulls away like she's been shocked by Zeus himself and her face shows concern.

Nabila reaches over to stroke her hair and Day doesn't remember if her mentor has ever openly expressed she cares about her. When Nabila speaks, her tone is full of sorrow and regret. "You were not ready to see this Day." Day opens her mouth but Nibila shushes her. "I know you have questions, and by Ares I did too, but now is not the place or the time to answer them." Nibila looks past Day to and her face turns hard.

Day glanced over at blue eyes and silently asked if they could both run. Blue eyes said they could run across all of Greece. Nibala doesn't notice this exchange though and looks at the spears in my hands. She doesn't take one and stab the boys through the heart like Day thought she would. Instead, she's looking at me with worry, which she has no right to do that.

"Day,"Nabila never calls me that,"did you find those two boys and did someone hand you that little girl?"

She grits her teeth. "So what if I did?"

Nabila looks uncomfortable. "That means you have to kill the boys and you'll have to-"

It suddenly clicked in Day's head, why her mentor, along with most mentors to their own charges, avoid her like a disease. "You killed my mother.'

Nabila shows guilt but it quickly disappears. "My mentor did the same thing and it was under an order, but that's not important."

I clutch Jacey and primitive growl forms in my throat. "How dare you say she and the rest of victims' lives mean nothing! How long have you-no our culture been acting like they don't!"

She sighs. "At least five queens, but it wasn't like this before them. Legends said we built a grand temple to Artemis, had a surplus at every harvest, wealthy, and lived in our own city in Pontus. We left because the neighboring male tribe, which populated our ranks, died from disease and male heroes making our women look like fools."

Blues eyes looks at them. "Excuse me, but you just butchered our city, we're even."

Freckles elbows him. "Brother, their stories amount to dozens of towns, villages, and cities. They already got their vengeance."

Day realizes the two are right. "If that's true, why don't we return to our homeland? I'm sure we could find a solution to the population problem."

Nabila shrugs. "It's been the queen's decision for decades, everyone refuses."

Freckles ponders this. "Then replace her somehow."

Nabila scowls. "In order to do that, one must beat her in combat, her choice of weapon, to the death. Twenty alone have died this year, it's a suicide mission."

Day remembers two years ago where the queen carried around a sword and how few she handed out. Day looks at the three people in front of her and hands Jacey to Nabila. "Watch her and the boys, I'll be back soon." Day bestows a spear to each boy and dashes off to find a certain Amazon.

She wasn't hard to find with the gold armor catching the sunlight, not a drop of blood on it. For a moment, Day considers a surprise kill but then they'd be stuck with no leader at all. If she's going to do this, she has to do it right. The sun is just about to set anyway.

Day walks up to her without a piece of armor or any weapon, though she knows one will be provided, and clears her throat. Queen Walentyna looks like she hasn't aged from that day with her dark still braided under her helmet and amber eyes fixed on the carnage around her. Day clears her throat when she's within the queen's hearing range. Walentyna looks at her with annoyance.

"Is there a reason why exactly you think you are worthy to speak to me? Because if it's not important, I'll have you living with the recruits weapon less for a month."

Day resists the urge to slap or yell at her and speaks in a level voice. "I, Dayanara, challenge you, Queen Walentyna, for the title of Queen of the Amazons."

Walentyna laughs at Day. "Did you just challenge me for the throne? How old are you, fourteen?"

Day grits her teeth. "I'm actually twelve, and yes I did. Now, choose a weapon and provide me that of your choosing for it's almost sundown."

The elder Amazon smirks. "If you wish to die, so be it." She takes a spare sword from her saddle and hands it to Day. The woman then lets out a sharp whistle and everyone, men and women alike, focus on the scene.

"You are all witnesses to this duel. Winner gets the golden belt and the title. Loser gets a one way trip to Hades." She turns to look at Day. "Ready." Day knew she was referring to death and not the challenge.

Day nods. "I'm ready."

Walentyna starts running at her, faster than Day thought she could in all that armor, sword held to behead. Day sees this coming so she ducks through her running legs, causing Walentyna to fall to the ground. Day examins the armor for weak spots and finds all vitals are covered in the back.

The queen gets back up with fury on her face, probably for underestimating Day. She charges again, going for the chest, but Day blocks the blow. She waits for the queen to put all her weight into the sword and then side steps her so she falls again. Instead of letting her get back up unharmed, Day stabs both her ankles and dashes a good distance away. Walentyna screams and comes after her like lightning and gets a good cut at her left arm. That doesn't mean Day would let the pain get to her.

From that point, the two spar. Block, dodge, stab, jab, and so on. She could see Walentyna tire after every move, and that this was her moment to win. The queen's sword comes at her. Day blocks and twists her sword and Walentyna's falls to the ground. While the queen is in shock Day stabs her in the left eye, and she screams in terror. Day then picks up the sword on the ground, stabs the other eye, more screams. Day pulls them both out and the queen pulls off her helmet in her panic. Big mistake. Day stops the screams and the head rolls a good few feet.

Day sighs, it was her only opening so she took it. She looks to the shocked crowd and then proceeds to take off the belt from the corpse and put it on herself. Day sees blue eyes and freckles smiling at her along with Nabila holding Jacey.

Day puts her sword in a belt loop. "Anyone alive can either stay here, all valuables of yours returned, or is a prisoner of war and their fate will be decided later. Amazons, get the horses together, we're going back to the base. Then, we're going home."

There was a moment of silence before cheers rang up from both sides.

"Dayanara! Dayanara! Dayanara!"

* * *

Day was praying to Artemis in her temple, which had been refurbished years ago, because she was worried for Jacey. Jacey was now thirteen, loved sword fighting, but also wanted a suitor. Although Amazons didn't usually marry, though Mali and Pericles (once freckles to Day) because they truly loved each other, but instead settle on a certain man they find worthy to be theirs and continue the next generation.

Jacey wanted what Mali has and Day worries that she'll be crushed when she can't find it. Day herself had never found a counterpart for this very reason.

She had done a lot in her years as queen. She moved her nation back to their homeland. She refurbished the temples to Artemis and Ares. She rebooted agriculture, herding, and manufacturing instead of raided. She had made them a center of trade and designed a plan to use trade for world domination, though it would not be used in her life time. She included males back into their society and population growth. She had got rid of pointless violence and created a peaceful era in the last six years. Yet, love had evaded her, to the point she was jealous when Mali told her she was pregnant, and refused to share the company of a man who didn't cherish her for just being Day, which turned out to be every male she'd ever met.

Day just wanted Jacey to lower her expectations and be safe. It didn't help the girl had a fetish for invaders and traders. Day sighs and gets up to offer the goddess boar meat and a quiver of silver arrows when Mali, who is pregnant again, comes into the temple dragging Jacey, who's black hair and dress are filthy. Day wonders where she gets it from.

Day waves them offer and drops her sacrifices into the flames. Mali looks pissed and Jacey looks annoyed when they her, so Day figures something occurred.

"What happened?"

Mali gestures to Jacey. "She wanted Alec to arrange her wedding to, get this, a river god."

Jacey clenches her fist. "So? I like him and returns my feelings, plus we don't have to worry about flooding."

Day starts pushing the two out of the temple. "Jacey, gods aren't the most loyal husbands in the world."

They exit the temple and Jacey gives her a look. "And your the most reliable spouse?"

Day and Mali freeze. Jacey was implying that she slept with someone, and Day was still as pure as the moon.

"Excuse me, but what are you trying to say Jacey?"

Jacey bites her lip. "Is Alec my father? I mean, we look alike and I call Mali aunt and Pericles uncle. He does everything a father should do and you treat best out of all the men and you've never denied my hinting at it."

Day took a deep breath and made the right decision. "Alec is not your father, I don't know who is. That's why I never said anything."

Jacey's jaw drops. "But, how can you not-"

"Because I found you. If you want to know where you come from, go ask Alec. But, no matter what-"

Jacey is already running towards the city and Day feels guilty for not telling her before. Mali places a hand on her shoulder.

"She'll get over it after Alec tells her."

"Mali, when do you speak with your mentor?"

Mali purses her lips. "Almost never."

"Then she probably will not get over it."

* * *

Day wishes it wasn't her time, but knows that it is. Her competitor raises her sword and Day feels her life flash before her eyes. The blade comes down and pain explodes from her stomach. She feels dizzy and falls to the ground. It's hard to believe the position was different twenty years ago and Day knows she could have won this. But, her time in the world was up and if she didn't die, Ares foresaw destruction for her people. The last thing she sees before the final blow are the tears falling from her opponent's eyes and saying sorry. Day forgives her people, the gods, and her Jacey, mostly poor killer Jacey, as she slips away.

* * *

Nina clutches her stomach. Her eyes open but all she sees is darkness. Somehow, she lays back down, even though she wants to stand, to think about the past life.

Dayanara didn't start a movement or an art, she had the duty to reinvent a nation, which to Nina is just as hard. She wasn't perfect, but none of her lives were. She should have told Jacey from the start, instead she was killed by her. Day also made sacrifices, some were difficult others not so much. Could Nina have made those sacrifices?

Her eyes close and her head hits something solid. She lets screams and the smell of blood take her to the next life.

 **Mali-Piper**

 **Pericles-Jason**

 **Alec-Leo**

 **Nabila-Reyna**

 **I'm sorry for not updating, this and my other fics, but I'm taking four advanced classes and I don't have a lot of free time. I'm not going to promise speedy updates, that's not going to happen. I will update though. Everyone knows the drill: Fav., Follow, and Review.**


	5. Life 4: Theresa

**Theresa-Reaper**

Theresa was four, but she only cared about three things in her mortal life. It wasn't her family, who treated her like a fragile little thing nor friends because she found no one wanted to know her. It wasn't beauty, gods help her if she ever cared for such a petty thing and her dolls wished they were someone else toys.

Theresa cared about the old scythe used to harvest, that she would play with when no one was looking. She cared for the gods, for if she didn't they might smite her down for the twisted creature she is. Lastly, Theresa treasured vengeance like a rich man did money, because it offered equality and justice for those you had been damned in life.

Had Theresa been damned? Depends if being sold to her sick male neighbor, who has had several servants her age disappear and only lives there in summer, at four because her family sees her as a curse counts. To her it does. On her first night, the man was far too sleepy to try anything, but Theresa knew her luck would not last tomorrow. So, she used the three things she carried for.

Theresa prayed to Nemesis and the three furies of Hades, who are a mix of goddess and monster to Theresa. She raised the scythe and smirked as the head rolled to her feet, stopping his snores. Theresa exited his house, letting a candle catch a wall aflame. She licked her lips at the smell of blood and smoke, her appetite not yet filled. The screams of the others inside, who knew yet did nothing to stop it, echo in the wind.

She looks into the scythe to see her reflection. Her blood red eyes are alight and her dark hair is a mess. Blood trickles down her face, splattered on from the man. Her teeth look almost like fangs, wishing they were so people would fear her all the more because there are others who have it coming.

Theresa turns back at the start of the road to see the flames lick the grapes and grain. She smirks. "The fields of punishment are real, and not just in death." Theresa then proceeds to skip down the road, with the old scythe in her small hand dragging behind her.

* * *

Theresa wanders for years delivering vengeance and for-filling revenge. Some thank her, most fear her, but Theresa does not care. She is what she is, a reaper. People either cheer or run when she appears, same goes for death.

Speaking of death, her clients have not been staying dead which has annoyed her to no end. They taunt her saying death is chained. Theresa of course cut those who would not stay dead up and threw their body parts into the ocean. Then, she searched out Thanatos.

The god wasn't hard to find. Theresa always felt drawn to death, from that of animals to humans, and let her gut guide her. It didn't take a week to find the chained god.

He was handsome, Theresa gave him that, but doubtful that she could free him.

"You need to burn the wood of life, and you, Theresa, were not born with that burden."

She gritted her teeth. She hadn't come this far to let him rot and her life's work be destroyed. "Well, let me choose that burden Death. My scythe is still too large for me, so I will use the excess wood and spread my own blood on it. Then, I will pray to Hades and light it."

Death shook his head, but Theresa started anyway. "Theresa, there are immortals who want you dead and if by some slim chance this does work," Theresa lights the stick and carries it to the chains in her bloody hand that has a second heart,"you are only making it easier for them."

Theresa smirks as the first chain melts and moves onto the next one. "It does work, you are going to be free, and we can both go about our business." She goes to the third with half the stick to spare and finally moves to the last chain.

Death looks at her with concern in his breathtaking eyes. "You will not get into Elysium on this self righteous quest of yours."

Theresa puts the remaining piece in belt loop. "Tell your Lord I want fire, stoning, stabbing, and a neighbor who screams every minute from the pain."

* * *

Theresa was washing blood out of hair in a stream, with permission of the nymph of course, when she appears. The woman is naturally flawless with a beauty most women envy, Theresa instantly hates her.

The woman waves her finger at Theresa. "Hate is a strong word mortal, and it's best not to use it on someone who lives forever."

Theresa lets her clean wet hair fall to her back and glares at the goddess. "Is there something you want Lady Aphrodite?"

The goddess pretends to think for a moment before speaking and looks up with rage in her eyes. "Tell me Theresa, have you ever felt love in your fifteen years of life?"

"No."

"That's my problem. In your first act of violence-"

"vengeance."

"-you not only murdered a man who legally bought you-"

"I'm a person, not a product, and he killed other little girls."

"-and all his servants-"

"They knew and didn't stop it, they were just as guilty."

Aphrodite glares. "Let me finish mortal. You killed an innocent, unborn life in that fire who I've decided to avenge right here, right now." Theresa nods in respect, if she deserves punishment, let it be so, it's how her system worked. Aphrodite smiles at this thought. "That baby boy would have become a favorite of mine, since it would be his first life yet his soul is ancient, and it would have been a beautiful love story."

"But I killed when I was a toddler."

She nods. "That you did Theresa. Yet, and this is truly ironic, it would also have been your story."

Theresa raises her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

Aphrodite chuckles and smiles ever so sweetly. "You killed your soulmate."

Theresa stepped back and fell on her butt. All her life... she thought the stories were a bunch of bullshit.

"Nope, they're all true. Anyway, I'm in a rather forgiving mood since it's taken me so long to find you and tell you this. Therefore, I will not kill you now nor get back you in this life, but in the life you first meet your soulmate he will avenge himself. He will kill you just like you killed him, in cold blood. Only then, with a clean slate, can I create the brilliant love story I wanted from the start."

Even though her throat was dry and the world seemed to spin, Theresa found the strength to speak. "Please don't do that to him, I beg you."

Aphrodite flips her hair and smirks. "Now you regret what you did, and what could have been weighs down on you, how tragic."

Theresa hates doing so, but kneels before the goddess like a beggar. "Do not make him do such a thing. There are worse punishments you could bestow."

Her eyes light up. "Do go on."

"I could kill myself or a family member could or love could-"

"And how can love kill someone? A broken heart or that not returned, yes, but not the love of soulmates."

Theresa looks up at her. "You have the time and assets to find that solution."

* * *

There comes a time when everyone gets caught, Theresa is no exception. When soldiers find her, they attack and after a blood bath, she's captured. They gag her and restrain her to a high pole. On said pole, she's whipped for three days straight and tortured. She laughs and taunts them about this.

"I guess Death has better things to collect."

"Your wives."

"Your children."

"Your parents."

"Your siblings."

"Your comrades."

That really irked them and the punishments got harsher and harsher. Theresa kept laughing and taunting during the day, but cried silent tears at night for all the innocent and her soulmate. After months of this going on, a new recruit stumbles upon her sobs.

"Are... are you crying?"

She glares at his figure and speaks in her soft voice she used when playing with her dolls long ago. "I want to die."

He freezes. "Then give up, stop taking our food or something."

Theresa chuckles. "Being starved and having little water is one of my punishments. All the injuries I've gotten have healed, got infected, and healed again. In the night I cry because I'm a misguided woman who the world turned into a psycho and gets to remember all her sins. I've tried to go out, but you all stop me before understanding my actions."

"You must have a weakness. Tell me, and I'll get you to Hades."

Tears leak from her eyes. "Gods bless you." She tells him to bring over a torch to light her aflame. He makes contact with the stick first and she can feel her life burn away. Her screams of joy and her cries of defeat wake the rest of the soldiers. She sees Death before her and Theresa takes his hand.

He smiles. "Your decade suite is ready."

"Was I that cruel?"

"Yes, but you were also an avenger."

* * *

Nina screams in shock and sits up straight. She was scared of herself and all she had done, even ending up in the fields of punishment. But, Nina knows Theresa is not the only one at fault here, and how good did come from her actions. She'd saved a god while being a mortal, though her motivation wasn't fully that of a hero.

Nina also felt remorse and anger. Theresa had killed their soulmate, the closest any life had gotten to him, and lived with the guilt. Nina knew that if she ever found her soulmate, she'd do everything to protect him.

She felt dizzy and laid herself back down. She closes her eyes and her throat feels dry as a raspy old voice speaks in rhymes.

 **Random soldier-Ethan**

 **Soulmate- Percy Jackson (but hopefully everyone reading this already knew that)**

 **Man (or first kill)- Gabe**

 **This chapter came to me yesterday while I was procrastinating on an English paper, so thank that paper for this chapter. Follow, Favorite, and Review.**


	6. Life 5: Elpis

**Elpis-Hope**

Elpis didn't realize she was different from everyone else in Crete until she was five. After all, she had two parents who were normal. She looked normal enough, with straight blond hair and blue eyes. She did her chores about the house and her mother taught her how to weave. She prayed to all the gods she knew of everyday and burnt offerings on holidays. She played with her toys and was the definition of the perfect little girl.

Then, on a night like any other, she dreamed and no, it wasn't about being a princess. Elpis saw heroes on quests, wars, kings and queens, books, gossip, and things she couldn't define. The only thing in common with all the scenes were that they were tinted green.

When Elpis woke up, she went off to talk to her mother about her dream. Her mother was at her loom, meaning breakfast is an hour away, and humming softly.

"Mother, I had a dream last night."

Her mother keeps her eyes on her work. "That's nice Elpis."

"It had this green tint on everything."

She starts another line. "Well, dreams are a strange thing daughter."

Elpis was getting frustrated. "But it wasn't like my other dreams. I saw heroes and gore and gods-"

Her mother whips around to look at Elpis and spoke in a cracked voice. "Gods?"

Elpis nods. "Yes, along with fights and quests and wars-"

She gets up from her work and shushes her. "Elpis, are you telling the truth?" Elpis nods her head. "Then just forget about it, because you probably dreamed it up yourself."

The problem was that she couldn't. Every single night, Elpis kept having green tinted dreams that became more focused. It became so strong, she would have flashes and visions while awake. And it wasn't hard to figure out what they were about, the future.

After a few months, her whole town seemed to know something isn't normal about her. People start avoiding her when they visit her house, but a small few ask her questions and she gives them answers. Those answers have never been wrong.

Her parents tried to be supportive, but they didn't know what to do. Elpis couldn't blame them, she didn't know what to do either.

* * *

Elpis was six when a someone knocked on their door. Now, that doesn't seem strange when you think about how many people have come to see her the past year, but said knocker knocked in the middle of the night. It woke Elpis up, but no one else in the house and it didn't stop. Eventually, she got up and opened the door herself, but she was shocked by the knocker.

She was a grown woman in a glowing silver dress and braided auburn hair. Her eyes glowed like the full moon itself. She held a silver bow in her left hand and a quiver on her back. Even if Elpis hadn't seen her time and time again in her dreams and visions she would know who this woman is.

Elpis kneels and bows. "Lady Artemis."

The goddess chuckles. "Rise Elpis." She does as told. "Now I hate to be the bearer of bad news, that's Hermes job, but the Oracle of Delphi has passed away in her sleep this night." Elpis looks confused so the goddess leans down to her level. "That means a new oracle needs to take her place. Someone with the gift of sight and that person is you Elpis."

Her jaws drops. "But-I'm just-This can't-"

The goddess puts a hand on her shoulder. "It is your fate Elpis. Yes, you are young, but you have the natural gift of prophecy and you'll be a great oracle."

Elpis feels like crying. "What if I don't wanna be the oracle?"

Artemis sighs. "If it were possible, I'd offer you a place in my hunt."

Elpis smiles. Her favorite dreams are about a blond girl in silver hunting with other girls. "I'd like that."

Artemis smiles down at her. "I know, but you are to be my brother's follower and I will not take you from him."

A golden light, the sun himself lands next to them. He smiles and offers out his hand. "Time to go Elpis. Artie here will tell your folks."

"Don't call me Artie you big ball of gas."

She can't help but giggle at the twin immortals. Elpis looks at her house one last time before hurrying into the sun chariot. She'll miss her parents, but she trusts the will of the gods. Elpis yawns and hugs Apollo's legs. He places her on his feet as her eyes start to fail her.

"Get some sleep my little oracle, you've got important lives ahead of you."

She doesn't have time to question the meaning of his words because she goes into one of her hunting dreams.

* * *

Elpis looks at the blank books she bought. Well, they were empty but now the first page of one contained a prophecy. It was strange, because in her ten years on the job she had never once written or spoken a prophecy of such great importance. Elpis read it out loud, all alone in her cave, to make sure the spelling was correct.

"Seven half bloods shall answer the call

To storm or fir the world must fall

An oath to keep with a final breath

And foes shall bear arms to the Doors of Death"

She had a feeling this would take place long after her time as oracle of Delphi has passed. Hades, maybe it would be so old another oracle would have to give it. Elpis knew it was wrong, but she felt relieved that she wouldn't have to deal with the prophecy when it comes to pass.

* * *

Elpis knew she was ill, as did Apollo. He personally stopped by to visit his thirty year old oracle and caught her coughing up blood. Apollo rushed over to her and placed her on her bed.

"Would you like beverage to make you sleep?" Code for she's about to die and he wants it to be as painless as possible.

"I'd like that." Code for she's fine with the thread the fates have gave her.

Apollo hands her a cup and the liquid tastes like grapes and honey. Elpis hands the empty cup back to him once he finishes fluffing her pillow. She yawns and curls up in a ball.

"Sleep Elpis, you've got important lives ahead of you."

Unlike her six year old self, she doesn't have any dreams.

* * *

Nina awakes this time by throwing up blood, which she didn't even think was possible. Strangely, it went through her so she was laying on it. If and when Hades or his minions make an appearance, Nina is asking about the side effects of doing this.

But, now she focuses on all she has just witnessed. Elpis's life was a vast improvement from the last, but even if Theresa made bad choices she still got to make them. Elpis didn't get a say and, in a way, neither did Nina.

She returned to calm breathing on the bloody floor. Her eyes closed and she drifted off to a place smelling of illness and herbs.


	7. Life 7: Lia

**Ophelia-help**

"We're almost there Ophelia."

Ophelia, who wanted her mother to call the four year old Lia, nods her little blond head. She'd heard her mother talk about the hospital run by her big immortal brother all her life. Lia knew her mother has been sick on and off with some sort of disease ever since she was a babe. According to her mother, Lia is the only thing keeping her alive and Lia doesn't think she can keep her mother's spirits up much longer.

Soon, Lia sees the entrance open and guarded by blond blue eyed adolescents who look much like her. They inspected Lia and her mother briefly before making a silent agreement.

The one on the right took the hand of her mother and the left held her back. Lia panicked and started kicking the girl and screaming for her mother. The girl held her and started humming a sweet song. This caused little Lia to start crying tears and for her mother.

"Be calm dear sister, you will see your mother again."

She did see her mother again, wrapped in a burial shroud she and her sister, now guardian named Rada, had made. The cause of death, an attack on her lungs. Her siblings said she should have died over four years ago. Lia promises her mother she will not let another person die when she can stop it.

* * *

Lia held true to her word and Rada started teaching her the ways of healers. Lia quickly learned all the herbs, ailments, treatments, and types of people who come and go from the hospital. She passed all her tests and training by the time she was seven, but most still said she was too young.

Lia brought this up with Rada one day as they were heading off to lunch. "Why do they think that Rada? I've done everything that they had to do."

Rada sighs and looks down at Lia. "Sometimes people get jealous of what other people can do or have."

"Why would they be jealous of me?"

Rada sweetly laughs and shakes her head. "You just said why."

Lia makes an oh face and starts laughing with Rada at her being clueless.

* * *

The ten year old doesn't know what has got into Rada. She's been talking with some son of a trader who delivers their herbs and supplies. He seems like nice enough guy who is only seventeen, a year older than Rada, but has his whole life figured out.

Eventually, Lia becomes curious enough to spy on the two of them. She follows them to the entrance where they stargaze and hold hands. The give away is when Rada leans over to kiss him. Lia has seen enough and heads back to the room she shares with Rada.

She never thought Rada would end up as one of those people. The people who seduce others for a free ticket away from the hospital because they're too cowardice to ask the immortal son of Apollo to be released from their service.

The girl returns with a smile to find Lia crossing her arms on her bed. Her smile fades.

"What's got into you Lia?"

She doesn't speak for a while, but her voice is cold when she does. "How long have you wanted to leave?"

Rada looks confused. "What are you trying to say?"

"How long have you been seeing the trader in training?"

Rada face turns pale then comforting. "You saw me and Hadwin outside." Lia nods because there's no reason to lie about. "The reason I've hid that from you is because I didn't want you to think I'm a slut."

"But-"

"I love him Ophelia and yes, some day I will leave the hospital to spend the rest of my life with Hadwin. Until that day comes I will be a healer and when I leave I will tell you before hand and ask our brother for permission. Even after I leave I will still be a healer because that's what I was born to do and not just be some pretty face."

Lia is silent for a moment. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I was being stupid for not trusting you."

* * *

She never thought Hadwin would end up as one of her patients, but the fates work in mysterious ways. He's been bitten by a poisonous creature and Rada is trying to spot the poison from reaching is major organs. If she were alone without Lia, Hadwin would already be dead and gone.

Lia is putting every bit of her power into healing him and it seems to be the only thing working to cure him. She sees him improve, but doing this is draining Lia and she knows what the price of this patient will be. She remembers her promise to her mother and Rada's dream of getting marriage.

Then, Lia sees Hadwin healthy and poison free. She smiles at the two hugging and hopes they enjoy their life together. Rada then screams and rushes over to her. Lia then falls back into Rada's arms and into the darkness known as death.

* * *

Nina feels dizzy and faint when she comes to. She is seeing a pattern of dead or absent parents throughout her lives and hopes that gets better in the ones to follow.

Lia was talented and extremely motivated as seen in her journey to become a healer. She was also very selfless when it came to her patients because of her mother's death.

She returned to the floor and counted the lives. This next one is number seven, so she's still got a long way to go. She yawns and drifts off to the sound off children laughing and incense.

 **Rada- Silena B.**

 **Hadwin- Charles B.**

 **Warning: This chapter and the next life are short, but life eight will be longer.**


	8. Life 8: Mneme

**Mneme-Memory**

Mneme wasn't the child her family wanted, because she was a girl. And in their city, Corinth, where her family relies heavily on the ships they built and fish in, she's always seemed like a bunch of dead weight left to weave their nets and sails. This has bothered the straight brown haired and hazel eyed girl all eight years of her life and she never thought things would change.

Presently, she was haling nets down to the docks for her older brothers and cousins. It was nothing new really, except they were downing farther north on this trip. Mneme also thought they were trying to find wives without their fathers interfering.

When got to the docks, she had trouble finding finding their ship. Luckily, one of her cousins found her and started leading her to it. Mneme thought it was a bit large for fishing and the sail she had sown was now a deep shade of purple. She looks up at her cousin.

"Gage, why in the name of Poseidon did you dye my sail?"

He shrugs. "It looks nicer."

"From a distance, up close it looks cheap and mediocre."

Gage scowls. "Well it works."

"What are you trying to do anyway? Get wives?"

Gaga then proceeds to pick me up and take me aboard. He plops me down below deck. "Don't move Mneme." He takes the nets from my arms and walks up the stairs. She, on the other hand, does as told and sits on the floor bored to death. Eventually, Gage returns with her oldest brother Baako.

"Mneme, why can't you just be stupid and clueless like most girls?"

Mnems gritted her teeth. "Because that's not who I am Baako."

Baako growls. "Every woman on both sides is a moron. Maybe the reason you are so clever is because you're a bastard."

She feels like she's just been stabbed and Gage puts a hand on Baako's shoulder. "Baako, you don't mean that."

He glares at Gage. "I do and as captain, I say we need to get rid of a loose end."

Baako then grabbs her arm and dragged her to the deck. All her cousins and brothers stopped there work to watch what would happen. Mneme looks out and see they are far from the port of Corinth. Gage hands Mnems a plank of wood no taller than her and she gulps.

Baako releases her from his grasp. "You have brought dishonor and shame since you were born. In throwing you away, we restore this honor."

Mneme feels like she wants to scream and cry all at once because this isn't fair. She knows most have never liked her, but to throw her overboard? Mneme mumbles angrily.

Baako glares. "Do you have something to say?"

"You would never do this if you loved-"

Slap. It leaves her and the whole crew dazed as she feels her swelling cheek. Tears start pooling in her eyes and it takes all Mneme's willpower not to sob. She feels arms grip her stomach and lift her into the air. She's tossed into the air and for moments she feels like she can fly. Then the water hits her and Mneme grips onto the board for dear life as the ship sails away.

* * *

Mneme drifts through the waves for two days in the sun until a storm hits. She doesn't know how long that lives, but it allows her clean water. Then the sun comes out and it storms yet again. She grabs small fish with her hands as food. It's a strange cruel cycle she lives in.

The whole time, Mneme prays to Poseidon, Triton, Leucothea, Amitaf, Paleamon, and every other sea deity a Corinthian knows. She doesn't make any ridiculous promises or oaths because Mneme doesn't know if she'll live to keep them.

Eventually, she finds a group of rocks and swims over to them. Mneme pulls herself up onto them with her plank of wood in hand. It felt strange to sit on a solid that didn't float. Plus, even though it's been cloudy and dark with little visibility for the past few days, Mneme must be close to land.

"That you are child."

Mneme turns around to see a strange sight. There's a woman, no goddess with wild blue eyes and out of control curly brown hair, though her face was welcoming. She wears a dress of shells at the top to cover herself and the bottom looks like sail fabric with a belt of nets around her waist. She carries a trident with the prongs close together, a tool used for fishing.

Mneme clears her throat. "I mean no offense your goddessship, but you are you?"

The woman lets out a laugh that sounds like that a dolphin. "I am Brizo, goddess of sailors, and may I say I was surprised someone not from Delos knew of me."

Mneme blushes. "My family lives in Corith. Poseidon is the patron but all the families whose men work in some trade in the sea learn all deities of the ocean."

Brizo smiles at her then frowns. "I'm guessing you do not wish to return back to your native city?"

"Lady Brizo, I just want to return to land, the closer the better."

"Anything else?"

Mneme bites the inside of her cheek. "Am I actually a bastard?"

Brizo sighs and picks up the wooden plank. In mere seconds, a small boat is in the water before us with fresh water and land food. It was quite the tear jerking sight.

Brizo then looks to her. "No you are not a bastard and don't you dare go around calling yourself that."

Whatever joy Mneme had from the boat was quickly replaced by anger. "So I was tossed overboard because Baako was pissed at me!"

Brizo sighs and starts leading her to the boat. "Yes he did, but your whole family is descendants of Eurybia, Phorcys, Nereids, and myself."

Mneme leaned on the boat for support. That was a very interesting family history, and she wonders if they even know about half of it. Brizo laughs again when they're both in the boat.

"Maybe a few generations ago, but not any more. Anything else?"

"How long was I out there?"

"A little over two years."

Mneme looks down at herself. She had gotten a bit taller and guesses her relations to the sea kept her from getting sick, or dying. It's realistic, but it doesn't feel like it been two years of her life alone and wishing someone found her, resenting everyone who let this happen to her."

"Do they even care I am gone?"

Brizo makes her sit on a wooden bench and she can feel the boat start to move. "Your brothers and cousins are still out on the hunt and the rest of your family said it was the fate of the gods and stopped mourning after two days."

The bitterness within her grows as the boat goes faster.

"Anything else?"

Mneme chuckles, wishing she could let this resentment go but knowing she can't. "If I could forget my whole my family and time with them, that would be great, but that can't-Who are you?"

* * *

Mneme didn't know now she ended up in the city of Atlantis. What she did know was that she had no family here and needed a stable place to live, so she asked around for suggestions.

"I know a nice young man who would adore you."

"You could help out a friend of mine in his private quarters."

"I know someone who needs a maid."

Most were similar to those, but Mneme didn't want to be a wife, a servant, or a sex toy. She wants to be herself and safe from it all. Finally, someone gave her good advice, and of course it was a wise old woman, not a man.

"You seem like the kind of girl who would make a grand priestess to Poseidon."

"What do they do?"

"They monitor his temple, deal with the offerings and prayers, and take care of all his offspring who are orphans."

Mneme ponders this for a moment before smiling up at the nice lady. "Can you give me directions?"

She smiles back at her. "I'll do you one better and take you back with me."

* * *

Mneme had caught some illness from the market. She decided to lie down and rest while her toddler charges practice before her.

She loves Rada and Cadman like they were her own children. Mneme yawns and the twins rush over to her.

Cadman grips her hand and squeezes too hard. "I'm sorry, are you okay?"

Rada rolls her eyes and looks down at the spear at Mneme's feet. "You said you would practice with us."

"I know but-"

Mneme stops talking to start choking from a sudden lack of air. The twins pester her in worried looks and wails for help. Dark spots flicker in her eyes and the last thing she feels is a slap that the neither twin could produce.

* * *

Nina wakes and clutches her cheek with one hand and her heart with another. She just learned what a heart attack felt like. Gods, she already died why does she have to feel it again?

Back to Mneme, who seemed like a Greek tragedy, but considering what else she's seen it's not surprising. Her family... there are no good words about them. Her decision to forget them was the right one, but Nina wishes she got closure.

Nina feels tired and lays back down. She closes her eyes and inhales the smell of ocean and hears the flick of a tail.

 **Gage-Chris**

 **Rada-Clarisse**

 **Cadman-Frank**

 **Feel free to Wikipedia the gods.**


	9. Life 8: Amara

**Amara-eternally beautiful**

Amara has the guts to do what no one else does, openly curse the gods. She doesn't just speak ill of them, but many mortals, heroes, and half bloods. To make matters worse, she'll tell you to your face because she believes there's too little honesty in the world. The world, of course, doesn't see it this way.

It sees a ten year old girl who's beauty rivals that of a certain goddess with her long elegant black curls and soft lavender eyes. Amara smiles little, but has been told they out shine the sun and her laugh a melody of pure joy. Her talents refuse to halt at her appearance though, for she is the most intelligent on her island and her singing is vocal honey that all bees desire to hear. But her specialty, a gift few people admire in women, is natural magic. Because of this and her status on her island, she's often seen as stuck up or a deity no one should disturb. That was fine with Amara, who knows she's no better nor worse than the island's fellow inhabitants.

Amara sighs as looks over her books, in search of something unknown. She hears horrified squealing in the distance, and the light sound of foot falls on the sand.

"I know you are there mother."

The woman scoffs and plants herself next to Amara. Her black hair is held back unlike Amara's and her green eyes spark with possibilities. Amara knows this woman is where she received her desire to advance in her magical studies and become almost addicted to perfection. She smiles, which is nothing like her own because it's become a staple, and looks at her studies.

"Sometimes I wonder if it would kill you to relax."

Amara scrunches her brows and studies a particular passage. "Well, anything can kill me and I'd rather not ponder about it. But, someone like you can think about death without a care."

The staple reappears. "A perk of being a minor goddess, is having a daughter live with you without the wrath of ancient laws."

Amara rolls her eyes, then they light up. "Found it!"

Her mother looks at the page in question and looks terrified. She snatches the book away. "Amara, where did you find this?"

She ignores her mother's anger and worry. "Your collection, which you let me enter years ago if you happen to forget. Now, can you please-"

"No." Her voice is hard like celestial bronze. "This is dark magic, and it _always_ comes with a curse or sacrifice of sorts."

She crosses her arms. "You do it all the time."

Her face softens just a bit. "As an immortal, it does not effect me. You are a half blood and when your older you'll understand."

Amara's face gets red and her voices turns from annoyed to bitter. "Yes, on my death bed I'll understand why you stopped me from creating immortality-"

"Amara, listen to-"

"When I look back and see a lonely and pathetic life-"

"Young lady I swear-"

"Filled with things I could never do and the broken dream of fo-"

"That's enough!" Amara closes her mouth. "Go to your room this instant and don't you dare speak about your naive quest for immortality."

Amara backs away from her mother before she can see the heart break in Amara's eyes. All she wants is to be with her mother and help her run the sorceress school long past mortal barriers. Clearly, her mother didn't understand those wishes or just doesn't care.

Anger and rebellion flow through her when she gets to her chamber. Amara heads over to her supplies and starts a potion fire.

"I will not speak of it, but that doesn't stop me from doing it."

She works from sunset to sunset for days on end, mixing and chanting over her creation. On the sixth moon rise, the potion is done. She doesn't utter the name of her work, but silently declares it liquid immortality. She's about to down it when a voice speaks to her.

"Not so fast granddaughter."

Amara turns to see Hecate who holds her torches with pride. She stands there frozen before kneeling before the mother of all magic.

"None of that Amara, I came here because Circe is right when it comes to black magic. You must sacrifice one of three things and stick to your word if you wish to live forever."

Amara gulps. "I am prepared to do so."

Hecate nods and a vision appears of her crawling and running around like a madman. "You can give up your mind." A second vision appears where she is lame like the god of fire and having trouble holding a simple coin. "You can give up your body." The final vision appears with her alone in a place filled with couples. "Or You can give up your heart. But be warned, if you try to regain what you've given up or it is bestowed upon you, death will come when you know and accept what has happened."

"And if I don't accept it?"

Hecate smiles. "You lose the other two, then die in massive pain."

Amara looks at the three options. She would keep her mind, because she had invested far too much in it for all her years of knowledge to be lost. She would also keep her body, because she needed to do basic things or else she could never make potions. That left her heart, and after years of seeing people broken by love, dangerous lust, and her mother's lack of it, she felt like she was gaining far more than losing.

"I give up my heart."

"Swear it on the river."

"I swear on the River Styx to give up my heart in exchange for immortality." Thunder sounded in approval and Hecate had vanished. Amara picked up the potion and sipped every last drop. She felt stronger, more powerful.

Amara grabbed a small bag and put everything inside to take with her. After all, her mother wouldn't let her stay after defying her wishes. She headed down to the beach and looked upon the open ocean.

She slowly walked into the water until it was at her neck. Amara closed her eyes and hopes that she has the power to change her form. She opens her eyes and smiles a smile no sees as she stares beneath her. Amara dives under and decides to find a place under the sea for herself where she can practice her magic, so she starts her journey with a flick of her tail.

* * *

The great thing about immortality is that time doesn't affect Amara like the rest of the mortal world. She took all the time she needed to master her lavender tail, advance her magic skills even further, find a permanent cave, collect items, and so on. Yet, she has aged to eighteen and stopped, because that's where she feels most comfortable.

The only downside is that she has a reputation for not only being the best witch in the sea, but as a cold hearted beauty. It's not Amara's fault mermen and gods alike fall for her, and she doesn't want to hurt them but she also doesn't want to die. Thankfully, people stop asking for her hand after sixty years, or was it seventy?

So, her life goes on as she helps people out with their problems for a fair price agreed on by both parties. The only thing Amara refuses to do is mess with someone's love life because that could alter fate a bit too much.

Today, Amara is finishing a potion to repair a torn fin when someone disturbs her. A bur of black, skin, and sea green jets into her cave into one of her shelves. Amara raises her hand and sends the bottles back to the shelf before they can be broken. She then glares at the figure about her age in appearance rubbing his messy black hair with confusion in his sea green eyes.

"Can I help you with something?"

The figure looks up at her, then gapes and blushes. "Um sorry, I was looking for the sea-witch."

Amara face-palms. "That's me, you idiot."

Sadly, he still looks confused. "But you've been here over a century. Shouldn't you have grey hair or something?"

Amara looks annoyed. "I can look anyway I want half blood of Poseidon."

The boy laughs. "No, he's my grandfather, I'm Triton's son."

Amara rolls her eyes and bottles her finished potion. "Could have fooled me, and I'm guessing Poseidon sent you to me."

The boy nods and follows her to a sitting area. "I asked him to make me human-"

Amara doesn't mean to, but she laughs. "Why would you want to be human? The lifespan is half of that of a merman."

"Really?" He doesn't look as concerned as she thought he would be. "That's probably why he refused to make me human. He said you could do it though."

"Again, why do you want to do this? It's a very complicated and permanent potion for a non magic user. You would never be able to see your home again and you'd be trapped in a world you don't understand. So why?"

He awkwardly rubs the back of his neck and his tail starts nervously flicking. "There's this girl-"

The word leaves her mouth like a reflex. "No."

He freezes before a minute and then looks Amara in the eyes with a certain twinkle. She sees that he needs this and wants this more than anything. The mere thought of losing this girl, and confirmation of this, will destroy him. Then the fear and hurt turns to anger.

"Why not! I journeyed months to find you and sold everything but my soul to get here!"

Amara refused to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry for your troubles and I could help you-"

"Yes, you very much could help me but you refuse to do so. Maybe your not so great a witch after all."

Amara glared at him, but held her tongue. He's just tired, disappointed, and frustrated from his travels. His ranting continues past lunch, but time is no limit to her. Finally, he concludes his angry lecture.

"You just like my grandfather, you act like you care about me but you don't."

Amara crosses her arms. "Feel any better now?"

His tail keeps flicking as he catches his breath. "No, because I'm worse off than when I started. At this rate, I'll never be with Rakel."

Amara understands his longing, for she felt the same way about immortality. "Do you...love Rakel?"

He looks at his tail. "I care deeply for her, though we've only met a few times and she doesn't know I'm a merman. If given the chance and time, I'm sure I'll love her with all my heart."

Well, his honesty is refreshing. Amara sighs and hopes she isn't making the worst decision ever. "I'll help you." His head snaps and he swims over to hug the life out of her. She can hear him saying "thank you" over and over again into her hair. "But you have to help me get the ingredients and in exchange for that, I'll explain how humans live. If it doesn't work out half blood, I'll just make you a helper for three years."

He removes his head from her hair and smiles down upon her with such thanks it could warm her empty heart. "Thank you so much sea-witch."

She can't help but laugh as she looks into his eyes. "Please, call me Amara."

"Well Amara, I'm Pericles."

* * *

It took months to get all the supplies and it's taken months to train Pericles in the ways of humans. Amara has never felt happier helping anyone or had a closer friend. Maybe that's why she's sad he's leaving tomorrow to ask Rakel for her hand. Because, while they will still be friends hopefully, it won't just be the two of them doing stuff together due to his soon to be wife.

Amara sighs as she watches the waves caress the sand of the beach. She hears Pericles walk over to her, because he will never quite master tip toeing without making noise, and calmly sits down next to her. She rests her head on his shoulder, he wraps an arm around her waist, and the two of them watch the waves.

They're both too stubborn to confess their doubts and insecurities about what will occur at sunrise. Amara herself has all these feelings she doesn't understand and can't hope to find the words for. As the first light of the sun appears, Amara clutches Pericles in the tightest hug she's ever given and he whispers into her hair words that she wishes weren't real.

He lifts her up from the cool sand and carries her to the ocean in his warm arms. Amara places her head to his chest and hears his heartbeat that matches her own. He wades them out to where she can safely transform, because they both agreed long ago he needed to make the journey alone.

His head turns and his eyes bring her back to the day they first met. This time, Pericles's eyes are much bright and hold so much more sadness to them. Amara feels like the world is on her chest and she doesn't know why.

Pericles lowers her fully and she shifts into a mermaid, something she hasn't down in months so Pericles wouldn't grieve over losing his family forever. They still hold each other and the sun is half way in the sky.

His voice cracks as he speaks to her. "Promise you'll visit me."

Amara knew there were unsaid words he wanted to say, but she didn't have the courage to tell him this. "I promise."

The two hug for what will be the last time in who knows how long, before they silently let the other slip away in the opposite direction.

* * *

It took Amara longer than expected, and wanted, to reach Rakel's city by the shore. In fact, what should have been a week's worth of strolling had taken so much time she had lost track.

On the first day, Amara couldn't feel her right fin. By the end of day two, she couldn't use it at all. This kept happening until she could only swim at random, and very short distances. Because of this, she couldn't eat properly and started to see things. Actually, the only thing she saw was Pericles who she would always swim towards until he would disappear in her grasp.

So when she finally reached the city, she had no idea how to feel. Amara was in the form a human, just sitting on the surf because she didn't have the strength to go farther. Eventually, a male toddler, maybe four, with frizzy brown hair and sea green eyes finds her there.

He sits in front of her, ruining his expense clothes, with a bright smile that looks so close to the one that has been haunting her.

"Why are you all alone miss?"

Amara feels something inside her snap and tears start falling like rain in a storm. The little boy is taken a back and hugs her.

"Please don't cry miss."

Amara holds the little boy in her arms tight as the tears get smaller. Strangely, he doesn't protest as she strokes his hair and sings in a raspy voice about her father, who left her mother to return to his faithful wife. She realizes that the first time she heard this story is when she stopped believing in love. Because if love is real why did a man not stay true to his wife and leave her there with her mother.

"Maceo! Maceo where are you!"

Her eyes fully open and any proof of crying is gone like magic. Amara knows that voice, though it's far off, and looks down at the little boy in her arms. Those eyes and the smile, gods she's an idiot.

She tilts his face up to look at her. "I need you to go home Maceo."

"But my father-"

"I need to talk to him about something, and from the looks of it, I should have told him years ago."

The boy looks troubled by this. "You won't take him away from me and mother."

Amara fixes the boy's hair and holds in the fact the his mother took Pericles from her. "I can't take him away, and he can't come with me."

"Maceo!"

The voice is nearer, probably just behind the bend and whispers one command to the boy. "Go." He dashes off making sand go everywhere, but at least he's off the beach.

"Mac-Amara?"

She turns to see him there, older by years from when they parted and starting to grow a beard. She tries to smile, but it turns into a wince when she tries to get up. Pericles gets the message and runs like his son to her side. He touches her face, as if she might be a mirage.

He picks her up just like that day and Amara can feel that their hearts still beat the same. Pericles looks at her full of concern and worry.

"I thought you broke your promise."

Amara uses her good hand to hold his face. "It's only been like five years."

"And a few months. Gods, what happened to you Amara?"

Amara feels like lightning has struck with knowledge because she finally knows why this is happening but wishes it had a different ending. "When I was ten, I made myself immortal." She feels Pericles almost drop her, but he recovers.

"That's why you're still the same."

She nods. "But I had to give something up in return and if by some reason I got it back, I would die."

He holds her tighter. "Maybe not, we could-"

"I swore on Styx Pericles, and if I didn't accept it, I would lose control of my mind and body."

She feels something wet hit her head and she knows he's crying. Amara tries to wipe them away, but her hand starts to feel numb.

"What did you give up Amara?"

Amara pulls his lips down to hers and kisses him with all the love that shouldn't be in her veins. He kisses her back and cups her face so she doesn't waste strength. When they pull apart, their eyes lock.

"I love you Pericles."

She feels so tired and starts to drift away from the mortal world.

"Don't leave me Amara, I love you too."

"Someday Pericles, we'll be together and I'll never leave you with or for another."

Amara tries to shift into a mermaid, but never makes it there. She dies in the form of sea foam hearing a man crying for his love and a boy screaming.

* * *

Nina moves her head to the right and hurls salt water from her body, not caring where it came from, and proceeds to begin sobbing.

Amara didn't deserve that, and if she ever met Aphrodite she'd tell the goddess she was a cold hearted selfish b-witch. The weird thing was Nina knew they wouldn't have met if Amara hadn't became immortal, which led to her death. She had to die though, because a relationship with a mortal and a god doesn't end with vows.

Still, Nina knew the face of Pericles. Though it was a lot younger and had different eyes, it was Peter. Holy Styx, Peter was her soulmate! Nina blushes at her the thought because he's her best friend and secret crush.

Nina suddenly feels tired so she rests her head. Her eyes close to the smell of blood and screams.

 **Rakel-Rachel**

 **Pericles-Percy**

 **I've been looking forward to this life for a while. Everyone here knows the drill and I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween. Also, the life count is wrong and since I can't fix the last two I'm just going to say now that Lia is 6, Mneme is 7, and Amara is the real 8. Snack bar? Snack bar.  
**


	10. Life 9: Reah

**Reah-flow**

If there was one thing Reah thanked her mother for, it was her talent for weaving. Since she could walk, or maybe even before, Reah started weaving and rarely stopped.

Reah pulls her flowing blond curls out of her place, because having it her face is both distracting and annoying. The twelve year old turns her attention back to the tapestry she is creating. Unlike the simple patterned blankets her father tells her to make for market, this work illustrates the tale of Psyche and is a wedding present for the King of Athens. Even if his wife is shady at best, everyone in Athens wishes to support their king in his marriage.

"Reah!"

She sighs and doesn't turn away from her work. "What is it father?"

"There were rumors in the market today!"

A thing about her father, he thirsted for knowledge much like herself and her mother but unlike her he enjoys gossip. She can't blame him, since he spends all day selling their wares, made from her thread and his clay, and it's impossible not to become bored.

"There are rumors everyday father, but how many are true?"

He shakes is mop of dark strands and looks at her with hazel orbs. "One is true Reah. Minos of Crete sent a messenger that delivered a ship will come tomorrow and a lottery drawn from the youth of Athens."

Reah stopped her work and looked upon her father. "If it is true, how is it a rumor?"

"Well, no one knows what will happen to the winners. Some say they will stay in Crete, others say treasure, some say marriage, but nothing has been confirmed or denied."

Reah sighs. "You want me to go?"

"Actually, all youth under twenty must attend."

Reah looks to her creation, knowing she clearly won't finish tomorrow. "I'll go wash then."

"Clean the shoes I got for you!"

"Of course father." For if she was picked, she didn't not want to let her feet touch the Cretan ship.

* * *

Not surprisingly, her father was correct that everyone must attend the docking of the Cretan ship. She was glad she had cleaned up, short white dress and clean leather sandals. It wasn't too big nor too small but the sail was red. When Reah thought of red, the first thing that came to her mind was blood. Clearly, Reah didn't like the ship.

When the ship docked, it felt like the whole world became mute. Fourteen men got off, and started making their way into the crowd. Reah hoped they would explain their purpose, but actions speak louder than words.

The first scream was female and filled with rage that soon turned to panic. More screams pierced the air and Reah tried to put both hands over her ears when someone grabbed her wrist. She looked up to see a Cretan soldier and screamed bloody murder to his face and tried to clutch her father's hand. He threw her over his shoulder and she caught a glimpse of her father being held back by her people.

The rest of the way to the boat was a blur. Reah isn't important enough to be picked nor beautiful. No one knows her origins, but that might not make a difference in this case. She's barely twelve, far too young for a girl to journey without any relatives.

The man puts her below deck in her own little corner. Reah curls up in a ball, and tries not to think about what will happen to her. Reah feels a hand on her shoulder and looks up to see a young Athenian man and with a young woman flanking him. The man is blond and blue eyed with mischief in them, a son of Hermes. The woman is about two years younger with her black hair in an up do and electric blue eyes, a daughter of Zeus.

The man speaks first. "I'm Talus and she's Jenasis. What's your name."

"Reah."

Jenasis smiles. "It's nice to meet you Reah, and there's no reason to be afraid. The moron and I will watch your back."

Talus looks a bit offended. "How many times must I tell you I'm not a moron."

Reah smiles at them. "Probably a lot."

That is the start of their beautiful friendship/family unit. Since Jenasis and Talus are engaged, which wasn't all that shocking after seeing them bicker like a married couple, they filled in the parent role and Reah had that of their offspring. They tended to stick to their trio and everyone kept in their own clicks for the whole voyage.

Things change when they docked in Crete.

They were all brought on deck, then paraded through the streets to the palace. People were cheering, screaming with joy, and throwing petals at them at the mere sight of the fourteen Athenians. Reah gripped Jenasis's hand as Talus tried to block them from the flowers.

"I don't like this Jenasis."

Jenasis scowled at the crowd. "Me either."

When they get to the palace it's late, so they're led to the dining hall. Reah has never heard of most of the foods, and is surprised King Minos went to such lengths to entertain his hostages.

Talus scans it over. "It's looks like they're trying to fatten us up."

Reah looks up at him. "Like lambs to a sacrifice."

Jenasis nods. "I wouldn't put it past them."

Still, they ate the food because all they've had to eat on the ship was bread and water. Plus, if Reah is going to die, she might as well die full. When the meal was over, King Minos called forth fourteen servants.

"Show the guests to their rooms and bring them to the gates at dawn."

They swarmed Reah and the others, leading them to their rooms. Reah refused to release Jenasis's hand though. A servant scowled at her, probably for acting like a baby, but Jenasis calmly pets her hair.

"I'll see you tomorrow Reah."

Reah sighs and gives each of her companions swift hugs before following an annoyed servant.

* * *

Reah hates the labyrinth. She's been in here with Talus and Jenasis for two days and she's already going insane. The place is always moving and the traps just keep getting harder to avoid. She doesn't even want to think about the monster or the screams from six others, most likely signaling their deaths.

At present, she's supposed to be sleeping but is instead looking at the string over her finger that's tied to Talus ahead and Jenasis behind. It had been her idea, so no one wandered too far. It's worked wonderfully, minus that it has the three's blood on it from traps and chaffing.

She senses movement from Talus's end.

"Are you still up Reah?"

"Is Jenasis?"

"No, but if we sense something we'll wake her."

There's silence for a while until Reah speaks.

"Someone built this."

"Probably against their will Reah."

"I wasn't in of the cruelty, though I have been, but the craftsmanship reminds me of home."

"So one of your brothers built it?"

"Yes and I think there might be a center where he worked and if we can find the center..."

"We might find him and get out of here."

She nods but knows the chances are unlikely.

* * *

In the next three days, both Jenasis and Talus's strings are cut from herself. She finds them a short time after dead in different locations and wishes she could give them a proper burial. Instead, she keeps journeying until she stumble upon looked doors.

Reah rushes forward and desperately bangs on them. In the distance, she heard the movement of the bull monster.

"Please open the doors!"

A little slit in the door opened and I was met with my own grey eyes on an older man.

"I can't."

Reah felt like collapsing on the ground and sobbing.

She choked on her next words.

"Can't or won't?"

His eyes look even sadder.

"It's locked from the outside."

Reah feels something pick her up and throw against a wall. Her last glimpse of the world was the monster ready to tare her apart.

* * *

Nina opened her eyes and felt something wet in her. Nina swears that if she wakes up with one more injury...

Back to this current life Reah. She was a very adaptable person and a good survivor. There was also that fact she went through the labyrinth and died there. Reah was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Jenasis and Talus reminded her of Victor and Grace, which meant it probably was them. The thought of her big brother and his girl watching over even in a different life warmed her heart. Hopefully she'd see them in Elysium.

Nina closed her eyes to get her into double digits with the sound of screaming and the smell of smoke.

 **Jenasis-Thalia**

 **Talus-Luke**

 **Sorry for not updating in months, but in late November I joined a sport, which I suck at less than when I started, and it just ended for me this week. So now I have more free time and updates should take less time.**


End file.
